Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Hispanic/Latino Population

Minority groups are people who experience virtual disadvantage as compared to dominant groups in society. Membership in such categories relies on observable features such as
race, religion or sexual orientation. Discrimination in minority groups results from individuals and structural inequalities, where opportunities and rights are not equally accessible to all people.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.
This essay intends to compare the health status of the Hispanic minority group with other dominant races in the United States. The writer will describe health disparities and nutritional
challenges, barriers to healthcare, health promotion and, cultural competence among the Hispanic population.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Identification and Description of the Minority Group

Hispanic and Latino Americans are people from Latin America and Spain who are living
in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, Latino or Hispanic ethnicity comprise
individuals with Cuban, Mexican, Spanish, Puerto Rican culture, irrespective of their race (US
Census Bureau, 2018). They constitute the most significant minority in the United States. As per
2016 US Census estimates, 55 million Latinos live in the United States, consisting of 17 per cent
of the total population. White Americans consist of the most substantial racial majority.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper. African Americans make up 12.7 per cent of the total population while Hispanics comprise 17.8 per cent,
constituting the most significant ethnic minority.

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Health Status of Hispanics

Hispanics are mostly affected by social determinants of health such as low income,
inadequate access to healthcare services, lack of education and, culture (Velasco-Mondragon, Jimenez, Palladino-Davis, Davis, & Escamilla-Cejudo, 2016). Health inequalities specific to the
Hispanics are related to cultural background, socioeconomic status and, undocumented states. On
average, the Hispanics living in the US are likely to have dropped out of school, uninsured,
living below the poverty levels and, less likely to speak fluent English. Reduced healthcare
access and risk factors for non-communicable diseases render Hispanics vulnerable to significant
infections and even death (Velasco- Mondragon et al., 2016). Significant causes of death among
the Latinos are cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. Compared to the Whites in the United States, Hispanics have higher rates of illnesses such as cancer and diabetes and receive lower health care access. They also demonstrate higher records of obese individuals and cancer patients.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Influence of Race and Ethnicity on Hispanics Health Status
Categorization of Hispanics into the US racial categories influences the group’s access to
resources as well as health status. Racial classification of Latinos also depends on the nativity
status, language or length of stay in the United States. Such arrangement channels Hispanics into
different opportunities or challenges at psychosocial, contextual and personal levels.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper. For
instance, categorizing as black or white determines one’s residence and access to opportunities
that either enhance or negatively impact their health. Health risks substantially differ between
Latino women and Whites (Paz & Massey, 2016). Twenty-three per cent of Hispanics is obese while 49 per cent of them suffer from cancer. In 2015, the estimate of life expectancy among Latinos was 76.2/84.1 years in males and females respectively. On some health measures, Latinos are better than other populations.

Health Disparities and Nutritional Challenges for the Hispanics

Health disparities are health differences which are avoidable, unfair and unjust. Causes of these disparities are smoking, high blood sugar, blood pressure and high cholesterol. Hispanics bear a considerable burden of disease, death and, injury as compared to non-Hispanic whites, who comprise the largest population in the United States. For Hispanics, health disparities include decreased economic activities, low quality of life and, health injustices. They face stress as a result of discrimination and adjusting to the US culture. High levels of stress increase the
risk factor for heart diseases. Hispanics are also less aware of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and, increased cholesterol as the major causes of death as compared to other races.
Hispanic populations suffer from a myriad of health disparities as compared with Whites as a result of low income, racial segregation, lack of education and inadequate access to care.
Increased level of acculturation is among the factors related to obesity among Latinos.
They frequently snack high fat and fried foods. They also do not exercise regularly. As Hispanic pregnant women increase their stay in the United States, they reduce intakes of fibre, zinc, and other required nutrients during pregnancy. As Hispanics adopt US diet and lifestyle, their risk of diabetes has also increased. Though genetic factors play a role in determining diabetes, diet and exercise increase the risk of diabetes among Hispanic populations. When compared with the national average of European -Americans, Latino communities experience intense food insecurity and poor dietary quality characterized by a low intake of fruits and vegetables. Instead, they consume sugars and high-fat foods.

Barriers to Health for the Hispanics

Among the Hispanic population, disparities in healthcare access are increasing due to the
social determinants of health. Barriers to healthcare fall under availability barriers, acceptability barriers, affordability obstacles and accessibility barriers (Edward & Hines-Martin, 2016).
Perceived availability barriers include lack of sufficient time and care providers. Limited clinic
operating times and long waiting hours are also health barriers that Latino population faces.
Undocumented status, immigration status and lack of insurance coverage are barriers to
assessing quality healthcare. The state of being undocumented affects the capacity to access
programs such as Medicaid which are funded by the government. Unemployment, expensive
care costs and, lack of insurance compounds financial constraints of Hispanics (Towns, 2013).
Acceptability barriers consist of discrimination, healthcare business, cultural obstacles and, health-seeking behaviors. When compared with other races and ethnic groups, Hispanics frequently experience difficulty obtaining quality care. They also experience delays and long waits.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Health Promotion Activities of the Hispanic Population

In the Hispanic population, health promotion involves the dissemination of educational materials with the aim of enhancing access to preventive healthcare (James & Jagdish, 2016).
Since diabetes is a significant concern in the Hispanic community, health professionals disseminate educational materials written in the Spanish language to raise awareness on the specific causes of diabetes. The primary goal of the approach is to reduce risks to diabetes by
promoting healthy diets and physical exercise. Educational materials include low impact
exercises that target overweight individuals. For tertiary management, healthcare professionals
employ Spanish-speaking professionals to conduct diabetes screenings to the public for early detection and control. Health promotion strategies used in Hispanic populations are similar to others among other races. However, care professionals among the Latinos use Spanish speakers for health promotion to bridge the language barrier and improve the quality of healthcare.

Three Levels of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Among the Hispanic population, health education Prevention refers to the act of avoiding
an infection before its occurrence. The three distinct levels of prevention are primary, secondary
and tertiary levels. Primary prevention refers to those activities that prevent the disease before its
onset. At the primary level, care professionals educate the Hispanics on preventive behaviors
such as healthy nutrition and physical exercise to protect themselves from diabetes and weight-
related illnesses. Secondary prevention refers to preventive activities that contribute to early
diagnosis and treatment of infection to prevent further complications. At this level, health
professionals advise the Latinos to visit care centres after symptoms of illness. Activities at this
level also include health screenings for various diseases. Tertiary prevention includes
rehabilitation measures after diseases. At this level, health professionals educate the population
on effective administration of medication and strategies towards rehabilitation from disability or
illness. Health education is the most appropriate choice as it instils relevant knowledge that empowers communities to make informed choices regarding their health.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.
Cultural Competent Health Promotion

Cultural beliefs and values play a vital role in health literacy. Hispanics view nurses and
other care providers as authorized persons who must be respected. Latinos expect a paternalistic
relationship from care providers (Sobel & Metzler Sawin, 2014).The population is more
relationship-focused than task-oriented. To become culturally competent, healthcare
professionals working with Hispanic communities incorporate traditional health practices into
educational modules and respect cultural taboos. They also recruit Spanish speaking
professionals to bridge the language barrier and improve health literacy.

References
Bureau, U. (2019). Hispanic Origin. Retrieved from
https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin.html
Edward, J., & Hines-Martin, V. (2016). Examining perceived barriers to healthcare access for
Hispanics in a southern urban community. Journal Of Hospital Administration, 5(2). doi:
10.5430/jha.v5n2p102
James, H., & Jagdish, K. (2016). Health education research and practice literature on hispanic
health issues : Have we lost sight of the largest minority population? Health Promotion
Practice, 17(2), 172-176. doi:10.1177/15248399156266
Paz, K., & Massey, K. (2016). Health Disparity among Latina Women: Comparison with Non-
Latina Women. Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health, 9s1, CMWH.S38488. doi:
10.4137/cmwh.s38488
Sobel, L., & Metzler Sawin, E. (2014). Guiding the Process of Culturally Competent Care With
Hispanic Patients. Journal Of Transcultural Nursing, 27(3), 226-232. doi:
10.1177/1043659614558452
Towns, T. (2013). Barriers to Care: Health Promotion among Hispanic Men. Sociology
Compass, 7(10), 854-865. doi: 10.1002/soc4.12074
Velasco-Mondragon, E., Jimenez, A., Palladino-Davis, A., Davis, D., & Escamilla-Cejudo, J.
(2016). Hispanic health in the USA: a scoping review of the literature. Public Health
Reviews, 37(1). doi: 10.1186/s40985-016-0043-2

Assignment
Details:
Select an ethnic minority group that is represented in the United States (American
Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander). Using health information available from Healthy People, the CDC, and other relevant government websites, analyze the health status for this group.
In a paper of 1200 words, compare and contrast the health status of your selected
minority group to the national average. Include the following:
Describe the ethnic minority group selected. Describe the current health status of this
group. How do race and ethnicity influence health for this group?
What are the health disparities that exist for this group? What are the nutritional
challenges for this group?
Discuss the barriers to health for this group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and sociopolitical factors.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.
What health promotion activities are often practiced by this group?
Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention
(primary, secondary, and tertiary) that is likely to be the most effective in a care plan
given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation
of why it might be the most effective choice.
What cultural beliefs or practices must be considered when creating a care plan? What
cultural theory or model would be best to support culturally competent health promotion
for this population? Why?
Cite at least five peer-reviewed or scholarly sources to complete this assignment.
Sources should be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment
criteria and public health content.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide,
located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the
assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

RUBRIC

1
Unsatisfactory
0.00%

2
Less than Satisfactory
75.00%

3
Satisfactory
79.00%

4
Good
89.00%

5
Excellent
100.00%

80.0 %Content

10.0 %Identification
and Description of
Selected Minority
Group

Description and health status for ethnic minority group is not presented.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

Description of ethnic minority group is partially presented.
Health status for this group is vague. It is unclear how race and ethnicity influence health for this group.

Summary of ethnic minority group is partially presented. Health status for this group is generally discussed.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.
Explanation of how race and ethnicity influence health this group is generally presented. It is unclear how the health status of this ethnic minority group compares to the national average. A general comparison for how the ethnic minority group compares to thenational average is presented.

Description of ethnic minority group is partially presented.
Health status for this group is discussed. Explanation of how race and ethnicity influence health for this group is
presented. Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.A comparison for how the ethnic minority group compares to the national average is presented.

A detailed description of ethnic minority
group is partially presented. Health
status for this group is thoroughly
discussed. Explanation of how race and
ethnicity influence health for this group
is clearly presented. A well-developed
comparison for how the ethnic minority
group compares to the national average
is presented.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

15.0 %Health
Disparities and
Nutritional Challenges
for Minority Group

Health disparities and
nutritional challenges
for this group are not
presented.

A summary of the health
disparities and nutritional
challenges for this group is
presented. Significant details
have been omitted. Summary
lacks evidence to support
statements.

A discussion of the health disparities
and nutritional challenges for this
group is generally presented. Most
significant findings related to the
ethnic minority group have been
included. A general comparison for
how the ethnic minority group
compares to the national average is
presented. Some support is needed to
support statements.

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A discussion of the health
disparities and nutritional
challenges for this group is
presented. The significant
findings related to the ethnic
minority group have been
included. A comparison for how
the ethnic minority group
compares to the national
average is presented. Some
detail is needed for clarity.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.

A thorough discussion of the health
disparities and nutritional challenges for
this group is clearly presented. All
relevant findings related to the ethnic
minority group have been included. A
well-developed comparison for how the
ethnic minority group compares to the
national average is presented.

15.0 %Barriers to
Health for Minority
Group

Barriers to health for
ethnic minority group
are not presented.

Barriers to health for ethnic
minority group are partially
presented. The summary is not
consistent with the assignment
criteria. There are significant
inaccuracies. Summary lacks
evidence to support statements.

Barriers to health for ethnic minority
group are summarized. The summary
includes barriers resulting from
culture, socioeconomics, education,
and sociopolitical factors. There are
some inaccuracies. Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.A general
comparison for how the ethnic minority group compares to the national average is presented. Some evidence is needed to support statements.

Barriers to health for this ethnic minority group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and sociopolitical factors are discussed. A comparison for how the ethnic minority group compares to the national average is presented.
Minor evidence is needed to support statements.

Barriers to health for this ethnic minority group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and sociopolitical factors are thoroughly discussed. A well-developed comparison for how the ethnic minority group compares to the national average is presented. Compelling and accurate evidence is provided to support statements.

10.0 %Health Promotion Activities Practiced by Minority Group

Health promotion activities practiced by minority groups are not presented.Minority Health Disparity Assignment Paper.